Rail-frog clamp.



J. W. WICKHAM.

RAIL FROG CLAMP. APPLICATION FILED JULY 26. me.

1,282,665.. Patented Oct. 22, 1918.

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' aoi-rnj'w." WIGKHAM, oncLInron'vILLn, WISCONSIN.

RAIL-FROG cLAivrP.

I Specification of Letters Patent. .Pgfiggnflgfl (high; 22, 1918 Application cleanl 26, 1918. Serial No. 2%,947.

. To all whom it may concern:

Be it knownxthat I, JOHNWVL Wronrnmr,

a. citizen of'the United. States, residing at Clintonville, in the; county, of lVaupaca and: State of. Wisconsin, have inventedcertain newand useful Improvements inRail- Frog Clamps,.of whiclrthe following is a specification.

Ihisinv'entiOn: is a.- rail. frog clamp and has; for. its principal object the production of an eflicient'. means for. firmly holding the. frog adjacent; a rail for. allowingthe frogto direct a; wheel which .has been desired, to elther allow asufiici'ent space for railed into engagement with the rail:

Another object of; this invention is. the production of araili frog. clampwhich is of aflexibleeonstruction, thus being connectedto the railandalso to the frog for firmly holding the frog adjacent thenrail. Another object of this-: .invention is the production of a rail frogclamp wherein a large chain is provided with a rail engaging lrook while: a small chain 5 extends from the opposite end of the largechain" and is also provided with a gripping hook, whereby the gripping hook may pass the small chain through the hand hold opening in the frog, to draw the large chain through this opening and thus allow the gripping hook to engage the large hook for holding the chain against displacement, thus holding the frog adjacent the rail.

One practical form or construction and assembly of the present invention will be hereinafter described and is illustrated in the drawing, in which Figure 1 is a top plan View of a frog and a portion of the rail illustrating the clamp in use.

Fig. 2 is a side elevation of the device in use and i Fig. 3 is a transverse section taken on the line 3-3 ofFig. 1, the clamp being shown in elevation and illustrating the use thereof.

In the referred embodiment of the present invention about to be described, it will be seen that the rail is indicatel in general at 5 and the frog at 6. It will be seen in Fig. 3 that-frogs of this type are hollow and are of the camel back construction, being provided with a rib 7 thereon, thus allowing the wheel to ride upon the frog to be elevated and finally directed by the flange into engagement with the rail 5 it being also noted that the frog is provided with a hand-.hold 1.8, thus allowing the sametobe. easily. lifted and moved to a desired position.

The clamp comprises a chain of enlarged links S) having a flat. rail engaging. hook 10 upon jone end thereof. The chain of small links 11. extends from. the opposite end of the large links-9 and has a gripping hook 12 connected thereto. :.VVhen the device is-to be used, the frog... is placed adjacent either side of therail inthe manner well known, it being obvious that the frog.

maybe. placed as near to the rail? asdeowingto the side of the rail upon which the wheel is de-railed.

At this time, the :railengaging, hook isislipped into engagementlwith the base" of the rail, it' being noted that this hook 10 is provided with an offset lip 10'. to illlOWl'tllB chain of large links 9 to be connected thereto without spreading the hook l01from engagement With the base of the ra1 The gripping hook 12 may then be passed through the hand hold opening 8 of the frog 6 and obviously pull the small chain of links 11 through this hand hold and finally the chain of large links 9 will be drawn through this opening.

\Vhen the chain 9 has been drawn tautly, the hook 11 may then be slipped into a gripping engagement with the chain, by

gripping one link and allowing an adjacent link to bear thereon, thus positively binding the frog in a set position by the engagement of the chain by the hooks, both with the rail and the frog. It is obvious the chain of small links will always retain the gripping hook 12 in convenient position for use, and will also constitute a guide for directing th chain of large links into the hand hold opening, also reducing the weight of the structure. Therefore, although the chains provide a flexible structure which will allow the device to be very quickly adjusted when in use, it is non-elastic and for this reason will hold the frog against any tendency of accidental shifting, thus holding the frog to be properly braced, for directing a de-railed wheel into proper opera tive engagement with the rail.

The foregoing description and the draw ings have reference to what may be considered the preferred or approved form of my invention. It is to be understood that I may make such changes in construction and arrangement and combination of parts, materials, dimensions, et cetera, as may prove expedient and fall within the scope of the appended claims.

Having thus fully described my invention, what I claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is

1. In combination with a rail and a frog having an opening, of a clamp member consisting of a fiat rail engaging hook having an off-set end, a chain of large links connected to the ofl'-set end, thus allowing the hook to fit firmly upon the base of the rail, 21 chain of small links connected to the opposite end of the chain of large links, and a gripping hook connected to the end of the chain of small links, whereby the gripping hook will cause the chain of small links to draw the chain of large links through the opening and then the gripping hook may engage the chain of large links for holding the same in a'taut condition, thus positively holding the frog in a set engagement with the rail.

2. Incombination with a rail and a frog having an opening, of a clamp member con sisting of a flat rail engaging hook having an oflf-set end, a chain connected to said ofi-set end, and agripping hook connected to the remaining end of the chain, whereby prising a flat structure, whereby. the grip ping hook will draw the chain through the opening of said frog and then the gripping hook may engage the chain for holding the same in a taut condition, thus positively holding the frog in a set engagement with the rail.

In testimony whereof I afiix my signature in presence of two witnesses.

7 JOHN W. WICKHAM.

Witnesses:

G. 11. Chase, IVA SENGSTOCK,

Copies of this patent may be obtained for five cents each, by addressing the Commissioner of Patents, 7 Washington, D. 0. I V a y 

